The Telco Coma Scale

To the Editor: A recent American study found that in 2009, girls aged 14–17 years sent an average of 112 text messages per day.1 Australian teenagers are no different. During a ward round earlier this year, I saw three teenage girls in a row in various stages of recovery from acute asthma. Despite the best efforts of the team, none of the teenagers spoke; the management of their conditions was discussed with their parents instead.